The Indians lost for the first time in the past seven games in which Giambi has played.

Moose on the loose: Indians pitchers must not be reading the scouting reports on Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas, reports that can be summed up thusly: easy out.

Against every team except the Indians this season, Moustakas is 19-for-136 (.140) with two homers and 15 RBI. Against the Indians, he is 7-for-23 (.304) with three homers and seven RBI.

On Tuesday night, Moustakas went 1-for-3 with one homer, two RBI, two runs and one walk as the Royals prevailed, 9-5. On Wednesday, he was 2-for-4 with one run.

Three awful ABs: The Indians, trailing, 4-1, loaded the bases with none out in the eighth inning against righty reliever Wade Davis. What followed was ugly: Cleanup batter Jason Kipnis struck out looking (three pitches), Carlos Santana struck out swinging (four pitches) and David Murphy grounded out (six pitches).

Kipnis watched a cut-fastball shave the outside corner. Santana, refusing to shorten his swing, took a mighty hack and was tardy on a 1-2 fastball above the belt. Murphy fouled two 1-2 pitches before dribbling an off-speed pitch to second.

Dynamic duo: Davis has not allowed a run in 16 consecutive appearances covering 19 innings. (The previous time he gave up a run was April 23 at Cleveland.) His ERA shrunk to 1.23.

Royals closer Greg Holland worked a perfect ninth for his 19th save. His ERA is 1.40.

Ventura cruises: Davis and Holland secured the victory for right-hander Yordano Ventura, who allowed one run on six hits in seven innings. Ventura, a hard-throwing youngster, walked none and struck out three.

Ventura (4-5, 3.20 ERA) pitched superbly, no question. He had excellent command of his fastball, changeup and breaking pitches. He consistently got ahead in the count, thereby putting the Indians on the defensive.

At the same time, the Indians made it too easy on Ventura, who needed just 85 pitches to get his 21 outs. The Indians can take comfort in praising Ventura and raving about his electric stuff, but the fact is, he entered Wednesday having given up 19 earned runs and 39 hits in 33 1/3 innings of his previous six starts.

Bauer so-so: Indians righty Trevor Bauer allowed three runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out one. He needed 93 pitches to get his 16 outs.

Bauer (1-3, 4.24 ERA) had decent stuff but struggled to put hitters away. He lacked command of his secondary pitches. The Royals, unlike the Indians against Ventura, did a good job with two strikes.

Lonnie Baseball continues to rake: Indians third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, batting second, went 2-for-3 with one walk. His average increased from .388 to .393.

Chisenhall owns a nine-game hitting streak (18-for-35). The last five games have featured multiple hits.

Chisenhall grounded to short in the first.

With none on and two outs in the third, Ventura, ahead in the count, 1-2, threw a 99-mph fastball away that Chisenhall fouled. Ventura followed with an 87-mph changeup that Chisenhall grounded up the middle. Shortstop Escobar fielded and threw the ball into the Kansas City dugout. Chisenhall would have been safe, regardless.

Michael Brantley rolled over a 1-1 changeup away and grounded to second.

After Michael Bourn led off the sixth with a bunt single, Chisenhall took five straight pitches that led to a full count. Ventura threw a 94-mph fastball down and with tailing action; Chisenhall went with the pitch and punched it through the left side for a single.

Ventura and catcher Salvador Perez, figuring that Brantley would be looking for a first-pitch fastball, opted for a changeup -- the same pitch that had gotten him out in the previous at-bat. Brantley was unable to keep the hands back and hit a looping liner to second.

Kipnis flied to center. Santana drove in Bourn with a single to right. Murphy popped to short.

With none out and Bourn on first in the eighth, Chisenhall fell behind Davis, 0-2. After a foul, Chisenhall took four balls for a walk.

Gift-wrapped: The Indians' notorious defense helped the Royals score twice in the third for a 2-0 lead.

No. 7 batter Moustakas, ahead in the count, 3-1, drilled a fastball off the right-field wall. Murphy pounced on the carom and was poised to erase the lumbering Moustakas at second -- until the throw floated. Even though Bauer had given up a loud hit, an out should have been recorded.

Moustakas no doubt had read the scouting reports. Murphy's substandard arm continues to hurt the Indians, especially given that he is playing right field.

Escobar singled to center. As Moustakas held at third, Bourn airmailed the cutoff man, enabling Escobar to take second and eliminate the force. Bourn hustles and puts everything he has into his throws, but they usually come with a loop.

Bauer got ahead of Dyson, 0-2. A pitcher of Bauer's potential needs to retire a hitter such as Dyson without a run scoring, but Dyson managed to send a 2-2 pitch to center for a sacrifice fly.

Aoki slapped an 0-1 single to left, Escobar stopping at third.

Infante popped to short for what should have been a routine second out. However, Mike Aviles, fighting the sun, fell down several yards onto the outfield grass as he made the catch. Escobar decided to challenge the Indians with a tag -- and it worked. Aviles's throw from the seated position was cut by Bauer, who threw wildly toward home. It is difficult to state for certain whether an accurate relay by Bauer would have gotten Escobar.

Bauer's error enabled Aoki to advance to third. After Eric Hosmer walked in five pitches, Butler grounded the first pitch to short for a force.

Kipnis on a run: Indians second baseman Kipnis extended his hitting streak to nine games with an infield single in the first. The two-out single to second baseman Omar Infante pushed Brantley to second. Santana tapped to first.

Kipnis finished 1-for-4.

Outfield defense: Royals left fielder Alex Gordon made a diving catch to deny Bourn in the third. ... Bourn dived to take away an RBI single from Gordon to end the fifth.

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